The Triangle Choke: The UFC’s March Madness
As NCAA Tournament brackets fill offices across the United States, the UFC has their own brand of March Madness beginning on Sunday March 21 st with Vera vs. Jones. The sport’s biggest promotion has three events in only ten days. For the MMA fan it is a dream come true as each event includes intriguing match-ups.
Vera vs. Jones March 21st broadcast free on Versus:
The UFC’s first broadcast on Versus features fast rising star Jon “Bones” Jones in the main event. Unfortunately DIRECTV subscribers will not be able to view the event. If you fall into this category please call DIRECTV and voice your displeasure. Outside of the main event there are two very good fights in the heavyweight division. The first pits veteran slugger Paul Buentello vs. Cheick Kongo who is desperate for a win. Kongo has lost his last two fights and faces a much win situation against The Headhunter. This should be a great bout as both will prefer to keep it standing. Kongo will get the win via 2 nd round TKO due strikes. Fast rising Brazilian Junior Dos Santos will face grizzled veteran Gabriel Gonzaga. Both fighters are extremely talented and are at different points in their career. Dos Santos is 10-1 and only 25 years old. Gonzaga, a veteran of 10 UFC fights, is coming off a victory over Chris Tuchscherer. In what should be an action packed fight, the talented Dos Santos improves his record to 11-1 with another impressive win. The main event features the much maligned but talented Brandon Vera against one of the biggest young stars in the sport, Jon Jones. Vera’s drop to 205 has provided mixed results as he is coming off a loss to the legend Randy Couture. Jones is 9-1 with his only loss a controversial defeat via DQ to Matt Hamill. In that bout Jones dominated the tough Hamill throughout. Jones will do the same to Vera and put himself in line for a title shot.
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UFC 111 GSP vs. Hardy March 27th on PPV:
UFC 111 is a tremendous card featuring Georges St. Pierre vs. Dan Hardy for the Welterweight Championship but also includes three other spectacular match-ups. In another great welterweight tilt Jon Fitch faces Thiago Alves in what should result in the winner getting a title shot. Fitch and Alves are two of the greatest in welterweights on the planet but both have lost to current champ GSP. Fitch defeated Alves in 2006 but both fighters have improved dramatically since then. This fight should be very entertaining with plenty of big punches landing. Fitch will improve his record to an impressive 22-3. Another welterweight match-up features Ben Saunders vs. talented wrestler Jake Ellenberger. The 8-1-2 Saunders is long and lanky and very explosive on his feet. Ellenberger is an accomplished wrestler who has made the transition to MMA in seamless fashion. Jake is only 25 but a veteran of 27 professional fights. In the classic striker vs. wrestler match-up, Ellenberger dictates the pace and wins the fight via decision. The much anticipated battle for the Interim Heavyweight Title features Frank Mir vs. Shane Carwin. Mir, 13-4, is simply obsessed with getting another shot at Brock Lesnar. With a win, he will get his chance. Carwin is a massive individual who has the strength and size to compete with Lesnar. First he will have to get by the ultra-talented Mir. Carwin is 11-0 overall with three of those victories coming inside the UFC’s Octagon. The new and improved Mir will gain the victory via submission due to a RNC in the 3 rd round and gain his coveted rematch against Lesnar. In the main event, GSP will defend his title against Dan Hardy. GSP has won six fights in a row against stellar competition and holds a career record of 19-2. He is not only one of the best fighters on the planet but also one of the best of all time. Hardy, who many feel doesn’t deserve a title shot, has won seven fights in a row with four coming in the UFC although not against the major competition within the division. GSP will once again walk through to a relatively easy victory. Hopefully GSP will face the winner of Alves vs. Fitch.
UFC Fight Night Florian vs. Gomi March 31st Spike TV:
Florian vs. Gomi kicks off a big night on Spike TV as The Ultimate Fighter premiers immediately following the event. Last season’s winner Roy “Big Country” Nelson will face Stefan “Skyscraper” Struve. Nelson is 14-4 and equally talented on his feet and the ground. He will face a tall task, literally, in Struve who stands in at 6-11. Struve is very talented and hard to get to. He is 19-3 overall and 3-1 in the UFC. This should be a very good fight with Nelson gaining the top position and using his weight to his advantage. Nelson wins via TKO due to strikes in the 3 rd round. In the main event Kenny Florian takes on Takanori Gomi. Florian, 12-4, most recently defeated the extremely tough Clay Guida. Florian has his eyes set on a rematch with UFC Lightweight Champion BJ Penn. To do so he will have to defeat the experienced and dangerous Takanori Gomi. Gomi makes his much anticipated UFC debut but will not find success against the well versed Florian. K-Flo gets the win via TKO due to strikes in the 2 nd round.
Enjoy a great two week run UFC Fans.
By Scott Dryden
ProFighting-fans.com Editor-in-Chief